XWG and GWG met together in 2024 in the Hungarian city of Mosonmagyaróvár. The location was not accidental, the local high school Kossuth Lajos Gimnázium deserved the event! They have been breeding goodeids for the eleventh year now and their “KLG Goodeid Project” is very well known within the GWG. It has inspired many other schools in Europe, and it was encouraging to see with my own eyes not only the aquariums, but also all the students who take care of the fish and participated with great interest in the program on the weekend of October 11-13, 2024. Márk Liziczai, who initiated the project as a student and returned to the school as a teacher a few years ago, can rightly be proud of his work.
The entire Saturday was dedicated to lectures and discussions. The first speaker was traditionally Michael Köck, who introduced us to Plan G, an ambitious project to save goodeids for the next 10 years directly in Mexico. After him, Arely Ramírez from Morelia presented three projects – in the famous Teuchitlán and in the Camécuaro and Zacapu lakes. Becky Goodwin from Chester Zoo gave a presentation on EEP for goodeids, i.e. their management in European zoos. And the goodeid block was concluded by Márk Liziczai before lunch by talking about the KLG Goodeid Project and eleven years of goodieid breeding at the school.
The part dedicated to xiphos was started by me (Markéta Rejlková) with the contribution Five different localities of Xiphophorus montezumae. After me, two xipho breeders gradually earned a place in front of the classroom; both are popular in our circles not only for their results, but also for their very friendly nature. It was Erwin Radax from Austria with his Evolution from an aquarist to a xiphophorist, and after him the Hungarian Dávid Urbányi, who called his presentation Xiphophorus – the way I do it. Both of these aquarists have given interviews for our website in the past – see Erwin here and Dávid here.
The lectures were followed by discussions on various topics in two classes (one program was specifically for students). Add to this fish exchanges, passionate and very friendly debates during breaks in the hallway or during meals, a tour of the school aquariums (in addition to goodeids and xiphos, they also have a small school zoo with a wider scope) and a Sunday trip to the zoo in Győr. The program was great and people came here again from Portugal to Norway, from Slovenia to Great Britain (and this year a delegation from Mexico came too!).
Kossuth Lajos Gimnázium took the organization of the event with the utmost seriousness. They received the support of the city and other sponsors and created the perfect conditions. Students and teachers took care of the decoration and rich refreshments and talked to us with great interest not only about fish.
It was a thoroughly positive weekend and I would like to thank all my friends fighting in the field of freshwater fish conservation, serious breeders, enthusiasts, teachers and students for a good dose of energy and inspiration!
